The Striking Cell, by Yenēsthae

Feeding off outdated norms of masculinity, manufacturers of combat sport training equipment have left the martial arts market devoid of any notion of sophistication, innovation, or elegance of form. A lack of improvement to the structure of punching bags means that they are hard, they cause injury, and thus create a need for expensive punching gloves in order to mitigate pain. No matter how beautiful the fit-out of the boxing studio, boxing equipment remains a pain point, neglected by an industry that is dominated by cheap, mass-manufactured punching bags, primarily designed with male clientele in mind.

Yenēsthae have developed the Striking Cell, a patent-pending product which solves the conundrum of creating adequate weight and density, in a compact form, soft enough to not hurt the user, whilst enabling the manufacturer to use premium and sustainable materials. The Striking Cell features an innovative suspension system, creating a robust structure that doesn't sag. Its internal foam system has been carefully tuned, achieving maximum impact absorption during use without boxing gloves (wrist support is always recommended). Striking Cells feature an interchangeable weight system, can be vacuum packed for easier shipping, and their de-masculinised design inspires inclusivity and empowerment.

Yenēsthae's vision of the future sees a replacement to punching bags that doesn't require users to wear expensive boxing gloves; a product that is more forgiving to beginners, whilst enabling advanced strikers to execute their techniques at a higher capacity, with less fear of injury. The perfect replacement to the punching bag recognises the human in front of it, appealing to their need for aesthetic approval, and uses sophisticated design language to foster feelings of empowerment and inclusivity - regardless of sex, age, and colour. In so doing, Yenēsthae seeks to invite a new audience to the world of Martial Arts.

Benefiting from their innovative and robust suspension system, Striking Cells can be dressed in various leathers, as the external skin is mostly cosmetic and not tasked with bearing load. This allows the manufacturer to experiment with the aesthetics and tactile feeling of their Striking Cells, opening the possibility of dressing Striking Cells in sustainable vegan leathers, which ordinarily lack the strength of conventionally used materials such as animal leathers and PVC vinyls. The synthetic leather selected by Yenēsthae is antibacterial and antimicrobial treated, UV and Fire Rated, making Yenēsthae's Striking Cells an ideal product for indoor or covered outdoor gyms. The combination of premium dense and viscous foams used in Yenēsthae's Striking Cells, have been carefully selected after much testing and iteration. The foams, sourced from Dunlop, are GECA certified, are chosen for their ability to provide enough safety and support for incorrectly executed strikes, whilst providing a satisfying level of acoustic and tactile feedback, allowing users to know when a strike has landed correctly. As Yenēsthae ramp up their Australian production of Striking Cells, they hope to become profitable enough to support martial arts gyms that take kids off streets, as well as initiatives to end domestic violence.